230 Can I win?
As they stepped inside the academy's grounds, the sight of two familiar figures waiting for them brought waves of emotion. Headmaster Stormborne, with his wise and kind demeanor, stood tall, a warm smile adorning his face. Beside him stood Isolde Holloway.
"Welcome back, everyone!" Headmaster Stormborne's voice echoed across the grounds, his eyes filled with genuine joy at their return.
Isolde, unable to contain her enthusiasm, rushed forward, practically jumping into Adam's arms, enveloping him in a tight hug. "Adam! You're back!" Her voice was filled with delight, though it caused a pang of jealousy among the other girls.
"Hup!" Adam's face reddened immediately as he felt Isolde's chest rubbing on his face.
"Hey!" Helga immediately pulled them apart, much to the relief of others and a chuckle from the principal and Amelia.
The carriage turned and left; it was the escort sent by the Starleafs, especially to guarantee their safety.
How weird for them to worry about the guy who saved their asses and the country altogether.
"Come on, come on!" Isolde urged, pulling Adam and the others closer. "Let's head to the student council room. We've got so much to catch up on!"
She tugged Adam, usually all serious, but around Adam, she's a bit looser, especially since it's been a long time since she saw his face.
Everyone followed them and entered the academy.
Elsa looked at the academy in awe; she didn't believe that she'd be able to come back to the academy as a student again.
After they left that underground dungeon - they thought they'd die as the portal opens because it would open in the dark elf valley.
And it did, but the thing was that for some reason, the elves weren't there, at least not in hordes as they had expected; it was just a small number, something they barely managed to evade.
And then, when they came back to the capital, they met Amelia.
Standing in front of them, waving her hand and her chin up, like a proud knight as she always has been.
It was all chaotic for a while until Amelia herself explained how she managed to escape; there wasn't much, but she miraculously made an escape from there.
But ignoring that, everyone was happy to see her again; it was as if a big weight was removed from their chests.
"Princess, are you crying?" Amelia's voice came from behind as she leaned a bit, letting her golden blond hair fall forward her cheek.
Amelia cut her hair too for some reason; it's a lot shorter now than ever, almost like a boy.
"No, *sniff* I am just happy." She sniffled, wiping the tears across the ridge of her eyes.
They reached the door of the Student Council.
"And-" Isolde grabbed the door and with a swing, she opened it with great vigor.
"Welcome Back!!!!!!!" echoed through the room.
"Whoa!" Adam's eyes widened as he saw the sheer number of people inside. It was like the room was packed with everyone and anyone he knew.
Inside the room, the decorations were elaborate, and a large table occupied the space. The regular furniture was set aside to make more space, with a tremendous amount of food and beverages on offer.
"T-thank you," Adam's voice caught a bit as he managed to squeeze out his gratitude.
They entered the room.
As they entered the vibrant room, pulsating with music and laughter, Adam was immediately surrounded by well-wishers congratulating him. One of them, Daniel, a cheerful and supportive friend, shook Adam's hand enthusiastically and shared a heartfelt congratulatory message.
Amidst the buzzing atmosphere, Adam's eyes wandered and finally settled on a figure in the corner.
Raven sat calmly on a chair, her gaze fixed on the group. It wasn't an intense or sentimental moment, just a quiet recognition amidst the lively ambiance.
"Just a second," Adam excused himself from the bustling crowd, navigating through the joyful chaos toward Raven. With a smile and a casual nod, he approached her.
"Hey, good to see you," he said, his tone light and friendly.
Raven returned the gesture, offering a slight nod. "Yeah, me too," she replied, her voice blending seamlessly into the background chatter.
Taking a deep breath, Adam composed himself and met Raven's gaze. "I'm sorry for leaving you here. I didn't think it'd take us this long to get back," he confessed, his eyes glancing down at his feet.
Feeling genuinely guilty, Adam knew Raven wasn't someone who was highly social, and her circle of friends, besides him, was nearly nonexistent. Leaving her without even inviting her along while his other friends were with him felt unfair to Raven.
"Hmm? No! It's fine. I was fine," Raven reassured him, shaking her head. Unexpectedly, she added, "I wasn't alone, so you don't have to feel guilty."
"Really?" Adam blinked, then sighed, accepting her assurance.
While this conversation unfolded amidst the lively party, there was someone notably disengaged from the festivities. A silver-haired girl sat holding a glass of water, her foot tapping nervously against the floor, silently biting her cheek in restlessness.
Mary surveyed the room, noticing a mix of students from first to third years. However, she felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness, akin to the feeling when she initially left the academy—only this time, returning exacerbated the creeping sensation clutching her heart.
'Why isn't he here?' she thought, a tinge of annoyance seeping into her mind.
Despite having ventured through practical wars and narrowly escaping death multiple times, her return left her feeling strangely hollow. She grumbled internally, questioning Ren's absence and whether he cared about her return. Shouldn't he, at the very least, come to see her, especially considering their mutual affection?
Last time, Ren had mentioned he wouldn't bother her, echoing what he'd said a year ago before the academy commenced. Now, a month before, the situation seemed identical. Her attempts to confront and warn him were futile—he accepted the status quo as it was, leaving her increasingly frustrated.
'Did no one call him?' Her eyes lost their luster again. A momentary sense of relief swept over her when she speculated that, perhaps, Ren's absence stemmed from not being invited due to his solitary nature.
Her heart, however, remained slightly relieved yet troubled by the lingering thought.
***
[Ren Hilton POV]
I felt a tapping on my face, stirring me from my sleep.
"The heck," I grumbled, squinting my eyes to meet a pair of vivid yellow eyes belonging to a bastard.
"See this," Blaze hopped off my chest and onto the floor.
Rousing myself, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "What's up?" I asked, still half-asleep.
"Come here," Blaze darted to the window ledge without waiting for a response.
Reluctantly, I left the warmth of my blanket and trudged over to Blaze.
Peering out the window, I noticed a commotion. A group of students was entering the main academy building, although I had to strain my eyes to see clearly.
"It seems they've returned," I murmured to myself.
"Curse panel."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
System Notification [Muted]
∆!∆!∆!∆!
The host has been ensnared by a Curse.
Curse: Fate
Caster: Nature
Current Impact: 16%
Cure: None
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The percentage had notably increased.
"I better keep my distance from those folks," I sighed, still feeling the pull of drowsiness.
"At least show some interest!" Blaze chided me, frustrated by my lack of engagement.
"Interest? In them? Haaa, Smokeball—" I slid back under the blanket, interrupting myself mid-sentence. "Let them be. Things are about to get tough for them in two days."
The Mage's Gambit was looming over the head And-
"Hope I can win without much struggle."
